The soil, forests and festivals of Jharkhand are not merely part of Adivasi life; they are deeply entwined with the Adivasi identity. Dasain festival, celebrated with great joy and devotion by the tribal communities during Dussehra, is no different.
For the Santhal community, spread across Jharkhand and other parts of India, this festival is as significant as major celebrations like Sohrai or Bandna. However, Dasain is not merely a festival of joy; it also involves remembering, grieving and an enactment of a collective search for sisters and brothers who they lost a long time ago and have been preserved in their memories for generations. The Dasain dance (also referred to as Dasai dance) is popular across villages of Jharkhand, though its tradition is increasingly under threat.
The very name “Dasain” reflects its seasonal and historical significance. In the Santhali language, “Dak” means water, and “Say” means the end. Thus, Dasain literally signifies the festival marking the end of the rainy season. When the paddy fields turn lush and the rains bid farewell, the Santhal community observes this festival.
Stories about the origin of the Dasain dance vary from place to place. In some areas, it is linked to the tale of Mahishasura’s murder, while in others, it is connected to the search for the community’s spiritual guru. Certain narratives mention Hudur Durga, describing how the Santhals’ spiritual leader Hudur was hidden in a secret place with the help of a woman and young men dressed up as women danced their way into enemy territories in search of their guru.
Though multiple versions exist, the most popular narrative is the search for four figures: Ayan, Kajol, Divi and Durga. This story has occupied centre stage at the Dasain festival and is kept alive every year through songs and performances across villages.
The search for Ayan, Kajol, Divi and Durga
According to folklore, in ancient times, the tribal society faced numerous crises and wars. The Santhal community resided in the Chaygarh and Champagarh regions. During that period, Aryans entered India via the ‘Singh Dwar’ route and fought several battles with the Santhals and other tribal groups, but were defeated every time. Eventually, to weaken the Santhals’ morale and discover the secret to their strength and victory, the Aryans devised a plan to abduct Santhal women.
They abducted beautiful Santhal girls named Ayan and Kajol, who symbolized the dignity and feminine strength of the tribal society. Upon hearing this, two brave young men, Divi and Durga, set out together in pursuit of the Aryans to rescue Ayan and Kajol. However, during the search, Divi and Durga themselves went missing. Due to continuous rains, treacherous paths, and the hardships of conflict, the rest of the community could not directly participate in this rescue mission.
This is why, even today, the story is enacted every year through songs and dances across villages. The memory of the courage, struggle and heroic quest is kept alive during the Dasain festival, with people performing the search for the four characters – Ayan, Kajol, Divi, and Durga.
Unique tradition
The most striking feature of the Dasain dance is the use of elaborate costumes and a variety of traditional musical instruments. Young men make saris into dhotis, tie a sari as a turban on their heads, and adorn it with peacock feathers. As they move in formation, dancing to the rhythms of various instruments, the spectacle is mesmerizing.
Bhuvang, an instrument made from a long hollow gourd, takes centre stage, in accompaniment with other traditional instruments such as the nagara, mandar, ghanta, kartal, flute, and kendri. Together, these instruments create not only a festive atmosphere but also evoke the underlying emotions of grief and the historic search for the lost.
The Bhuvang’s unique form resembles a quiver. According to folklore, young men concealed arrows in the Bhuvang and ventured into enemy territory, dancing along the way.
During the dance, these young performers, disguised as women, enter each courtyard and ask the woman of the house: “Are Ayan and Kajol in this house? Are Divi and Durga hiding here?” Each woman of the house offers food or gifts to the performers, signaling that they too are part of this search. Thus every household, including women and elders, participate in the search.
This act is not merely about offering alms; it represents a cultural pledge.
In essence, they are reliving a traumatic collective memory. The songs convey anguish:
Haaye re Haaye re Divi re, Durga, do kin Odok ena re,
Divi re chela do kin baaher ena re,
Haaye re Haaye re Belbuta re kin Odok ena re,
Aawra toda re kin baaher ena re,
Haaye re Haaye re desh daadan lagi do kin Odok ena re
The phrase ‘Haaye re Haaye re’ is used to express shock and deep concern. The lyrics narrate how Divi and Durga left the village along with their followers. The subsequent lines explain why they left and how they set out in search of Ayan and Kajol.
The teacher-disciple tradition
The Dasain festival also provides continuity to the teacher-disciple tradition. During the festival, which begins on the sixth day of the month of Ashwin and continues until Dussehra, young men from the villages learn from their teachers to identify medicinal herbs found in forests and hills, and remedies for various ailments.
Today, the Dasain festival and performance of the music and the dance are on the brink of extinction. Urbanization, Hinduization, migration and changing lifestyles have weakened this tradition. Villages no longer get to see the same enthusiastic troupes as in the past. Many young people perceive it merely as entertainment, unaware of the profound historical and cultural significance it carries.
Can we preserve such traditions? Dasain is not merely a festival of the Santhals; it is a collective memory of the entire indigenous society. It encompasses history, culture and the philosophy of life.The festival teaches us that history is not confined to books alone; it lives on in songs and dances. The search for Ayan, Kajol, Divi and Durga continues even today. This search is not just for the four characters but for roots and identity of the indigenous community.
Translated from the original Hindi by the author
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